Life

Colin Lake: "Inspire Action by Example"

Meet the IRONMAN Foundation triathlete who has raised $35,000 through his entry in the 2018 IRONMAN World Championship brought to you by Amazon.

Colin Lake is one of this year's IRONMAN Foundation athletes raising funds to support the IRONMAN Foundation’s Community Grant Fund. This fund fuels life changing grants in IRONMAN race communities, creating positive, tangible impact in countless lives. From teaching physical challenged athletes and kids how to surf in Oceanside, California, to rebuilding Hurricane Maria damaged homes in Puerto Rico, athletes like Lake leave their IRONMAN legacy long after race day.

A father of 3, Lake is the founder and president of Developing the Next Leaders, a charity that creates a successful path for retired military to make a positive impact in the financial services industry. He's worked for more than 20 years in the financial services space, and says he strives each day "to be the best husband, father, business leader, advocate for philanthropy and triathlete" he can be. "I'm an ardent believer in 'inspiring action by example!'" says Lake, who has raced triathlon for more than 25 years, all the while aiming to earn the chance to race in Kailua-Kona. Always one to go the extra mile, Lake is personally matching all contributions to his IMF fundraising campaign dollar for dollar.

Colin Lake: I watched the Hawaii IM when I was 14 and I promised my now-deceased mother that one day I would complete that race!

IRONMAN.com: What inspired you to race at the most coveted long-distance endurance event in the world—the IRONMAN World Championship in Kailua-Kona?

Lake: With the promise made at such an early age, without knowing the ramifications of that promise, I’ve learned that I love to set big audacious goals and let everyone know about them. I’ve found when we as humans do that, we figure the rest out!

IRONMAN.com: Any goals for your IRONMAN World Championship race?

Lake: My #1 goal, of course, is to finish! A close #2 is to remember to be grateful throughout, give all I can to the other racers on the course and my family who has supported me for so long, through so much!

IRONMAN.com: What inspired you to get involved with the IRONMAN Foundation? What have you learned through the process of fundraising for a cause, and how that changes your perspective for race day?

Lake: I’ve done races in the recent past and noticed others with the Ironman Foundation race jersey and asked them how to get involved. (I’ve raised money for ALS and Make-A-Wish through my racing in the past.)

IRONMAN.com: Was there ever a mistake you made during a triathlon, or during training? If so, what did you learn from it?

Lake: The easy answer would seem to be, yes. But I only consider something a mistake if I do it twice…in other words, the first time I do something wrong, I learn from it, with the mindset that I do not ever need to do that again! So, lots and lots of lessons!

IRONMAN.com: Who inspires you to keep going when you’re 20 miles into the run and you've hit the proverbial wall? Or on those days when the hardest thing to do is get up and train?

Lake: That’s easy—my wife and three children. They’ve heard me say (a thousand times), "You can do anything," and I want them to see me lead by example, not just by what I say.

IRONMAN.com: How do you manage training with your work schedule? Especially living outside of Boston?

Lake: I am a serious "time blocker." I plan my day so that whatever I'm doing at that time, I'm fully engaged. This means you can get done what you’re doing faster and more importantly, better. Just be fully engaged!

IRONMAN.com: What’s the best advice you've ever been given?

Lake: "Be great today, life is too short to live any other way!" The first time I remember my mom saying it to me, I was a freshman in high school. The way I interpreted it was, first, know what your "great" is, then that's the goal every day, in every way!

IRONMAN.com: What is your dream post-race meal?

Lake: A huge burger with fried egg and avocado and an ice-cold IPA, my wife, friends and family right there with me.

IRONMAN.com: If you could have one thing in your Special Needs bag…what would that be?

Colin Lake: A surprise note from my mom or dad (both deceased), reminding me that with a body full of training, a heart full of love and a spirit full of faith you can do ANYTHING!

IRONMAN.com: What do you find to be the most challenging aspect of the sport of IRONMAN?

Colin Lake: Long training rides and runs on Saturdays. It's tough to be gone for five to seven hours on the weekend after long work weeks.

IRONMAN.com: What might someone be surprised to know about you?

Colin Lake: I failed out of college after three semesters. Nothing could have been more heartbreaking and motivational. I fought hard for two more semesters to get back in and graduated two years later, while working full time.

IRONMAN.com: Who do you have to thank for where you are today?

Colin Lake: Man, oh man, the list is long. My friends and the folks who have helped support this mission. My mom and dad. My three brothers and five sisters. My wife Traci and three children (Colin, Mollie, William), who motivate and tolerate me. And God, because with faith, everything is possible!